For the American Government had at last decided on war as the only solution consistent with American dignity and honor. Its patience had been exhaustec and its people goaded to the utmost. The sinkings grew in volume, and it was evident that Germany had thrown discretion to the winds and was daring the American people to meet the issue. On March 2, the American steamship, "Algonquin," on its way from New York to London, was attacked by a submarine without warning and sunk, the crew be ing rescued later, after 27 hours in open boats. On March 18 three ships bearing the American flag were sunk off the English coast by submarines. These were the "City of Memphis," the "Illinois" and the "Vigilancia." Fifteen of the crew of the latter were lost.
On the day after this news was re ceived many measures were taken by this Government that foreshadowed the coming conflict. Orders were given to speed up work on warships under con struction; two classes of midshipmen were ordered to be graduated ahead of time; the eight-hour day for Govern ment naval work was suspended, ar rangements were made for the issue of bonds for naval purposes. A long Cabi net session was held, at which it was decided that Congress should be called in session at an earlier date than that previously announced. On March 21 the President issued a call for Congress to meet on April 2, "to receive a communica tion by the Executive on grave questions of national policy which should im mediately be taken under consideration." No one doubted that this sentence could be compressed into a single word—war.
The Sixty-fifth Congress convened in special session at noon on April 2. The President, escorted by a squadron of cavalry, reached the Capitol in the eve ning. At about 8.40, he began his ad dress, after having been greeted with a tremendous ovation. He spoke for 36 minutes and was listened to with breath less attention. He recited the offenses of Germany against this Government, and recommended Congress to declare "the recent course of the Imperial German Government to be in fact nothing less than war against the Government and people of the United States" and that Congress "formally accept the status of belligerent that had thus been thrust upon it." A notable passage of the speech was that in which he defined the issue as one between autocracy and democracy. "The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensations for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind." At the conclusion of the President's address, he was wildly cheered, the whole audience rising to its feet and waving flags. Immediately after the
President's withdrawal, both Houses as sembled in separate session, and bills were introduced embodying the President's recommendations. On April 4, by a vote of 82 to 6, the war resolution was passed by the Senate. On April 6 it was passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of 373 to 50. At 1.18 p. m., it was signed by the President, thus making the United States and Germany officially at war. Simultaneously the President issued an address to the American people, announcing the existence of a state of war and prescribing rules for the behavior and treatment of enemy aliens.
The text of the Declaration of War was as follows: Whereas, the Imperial German Govern ment has committed repeated acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States of America ; therefore be it Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the state of war between the United States and the Imperial German Govern ment, which has thus been thrust upon the United States, is hereby formally de clared; and That the President be and he is hereby, authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Imperial German Government; and to bring the conflict to a successful termina tion all the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States.
The declaration was received by the nation without any outburst of hysteri cal excitement. Its coming had been too apparent to have in it any element of surprise. But except in some pacifist quarters, it was received with the heartiest approval and a whole-souled determination to bend every effort toward securing victory. It had been feared that riots would be instigated by some of the 10,000,000 citizens of Teutonic birth and sympathies, but al though there were some minor disorders, less than 100 arrests in all were made. The Socialist party alone expressed formal opposition to the war, and lost a considerable part of its following in con sequence. Rarely has a nation facing a great conflict been so united in spirit and purpose. It is true that the great body of the people failed to realize the great part that America was to take in the war. It was generally expected that our participation would be limited to the navy and to the furnishing of money, munitions and food. That we should he called upon to raise an army of 5,000,000 men, of whom more than 2,000,000 would be actually carried overseas was prob ably believed by none. But even if it had been, there would have been no softening of the national purpose to prosecute the war to a successful termination.